Turkish Cultural Fete welcomes all in London

The 10th annual Anatolian Cultural Fete will be open to visitors until Monday, May 30

LONDON (AA) – The grand opening of London’s 10th annual Anatolian Cultural Fete on Saturday at Clissold Park dazzled crowds with an Ottoman marching band show and sword-and-shield folk dances.

Distinguished guests at the opening included Turkish Ambassador Abdurrahman Bilgiç, Turkey’s Consul General in London Emirhan Yorulmazlar, and Baroness Hussein-Ece, an ethnic Turkish Cypriot member of the House of Lords.

The grand opening of the festival, which officially began on Friday, also featured traditional oil wrestlers from Turkey, and the opportunity to sample the tastes of authentic Anatolian cuisine.

Traditional Turkish puppet characters Karagöz and Hacivat also presented a show at the fete, in both English and Turkish.

The festival has become a mainstay cultural event in the U.K., with large attendance from inside and outside London. Event organizers estimated attendance Saturday at more than 1,000.

The 10th Anatolian Cultural fete will continue at Clissold Park through this Monday.